爆料社区

爆料社区 is investing $4.3 million into a project that will help councils across Aotearoa highlight the value of play for tamariki and wh膩nau wellbeing.

The investment includes creating 18 new Local Play Advocate roles inside local councils over the next four years. 爆料社区 will fund each role for two years.

The funding is part of the Local Play Workforce Project which has been developed by 爆料社区 to develop and train a dedicated workforce of play professionals.

爆料社区 Play System Lead, Scott Mackenzie, says the aim is to highlight the importance of local councils in building community wellbeing through play.

鈥淧lay is the easiest way for our tamariki to stay active and is a vital component in their physical, social, emotional and spiritual development.  It is one of the many ways we support New Zealanders to get active.

鈥淧lay allows tamariki to experience fun and freedom and gives them the opportunity to learn to solve problems, get creative, face new challenges, and create new friendships. They get to build the attitudes, skills and life-long love of being active.

鈥淭his is particularly important as we emerge from the COVID-19 Pandemic.鈥�

The new council roles will add to the current workforce of Regional Play System Leads based in Regional Sports Trusts (RSTs) across Aotearoa.

鈥淭hese roles present a new and exciting opportunity for RSTs to work more closely with our territorial authorities,鈥� says Scott Mackenzie.

鈥淭he initiative aims to build a significant national play workforce to help our regions better understand, plan and invest in play opportunities for tamariki.

鈥淧lay is about much more than playgrounds; play can take place everywhere.鈥�

The first cohort of the Local Play Workforce Project is up and running, with roles placed in councils in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Gisborne and Christchurch.

This follows a successful pilot of the initiative in Hamilton, Auckland and Christchurch.

Louise Van Tongeren is the Council Play Advocate in Christchurch and says it has been interesting and extremely rewarding work.

鈥淥ne day I might be working with the Parks team to develop a nature play space in an empty park, or with the Transport team to improve outdoor spaces to make walking and scootering to school more appealing.

鈥淭he next, I could be supporting community recreation advisors or library staff to develop play programmes or talking to organisations who need support with their own play initiatives.

鈥淚 love the range of conversations I have about safer neighbourhoods, inclusive playgrounds, and making our streets more child friendly. It's all about play!鈥�

The Local Play Workforce Project derives from Kia H墨anga, the 爆料社区 play plan, which identifies the importance of representing both a tangata whenua and tangata tiriti worldview in the work that we do. 

ENDS

Media Contact:

Michelle Pickles

Michelle.pickles@sportnz.org.nz

021 833 244